A wheel bearing unit of the generic type for use in a commercial vehicle is known, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,244. Here, a wheel hub which carries a wheel is received rotatably on a bearing journal. Two tapered roller bearings which are received on the wheel hub such that they are spaced apart from one another axially serve for this purpose. Here, the axes of inclination of the tapered rollers are inclined with respect to one another and the outer rings are positioned axially with respect to one another, on corresponding axial stops with respect to one another. In the installed state of the wheel bearing unit, the axial end sides of the inner rings, which end sides point away from one another, are fixed in each case axially on the bearing journal or axially on the lock nut which is screwed onto said bearing journal. The end faces which face one another are positioned axially by means of a sleeve which is arranged between them.
In the non-installed state, the inner rings and the roller crown rings are captively secured and positionally fixed to a limited extent. In particular, as a result of a partly great axial play, the sleeve is not held between the inner rings and can therefore be displaced radially and therefore make mounting of the wheel bearing unit on the bearing journal more difficult.